The Orioles lose a half-game to the Yankees when they split a doubleheader with the Blue Jays. Steve Johnson pitches five shutout innings to win the opener as Adam Jones goes 4 for 4 with a homer in a 4 – 1, win, but in the nitecap, J.P. Arencibia’s 7th-inning grand slam is the difference in the Jays’ 9 – 5 win. Ricky Romero is the winner, snapping a personal 13-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Yankees defeat the Twins, 6 – 3, behind Andy Pettitte to move to 1 1/2 games in front of the Birds. Curtis Granderson hits his 40th homer, becoming the fifth Yankee to hit forty dingers in back-to-back seasons.

The Cardinals defeat the Astros, 6 – 1, as Lance Lynn picks up his 17th win. Pete Kozma hits a two-run homer as the Cards now have a commanding 3 1/2 game lead over their nearest rivals for a wild card spot.

The 200,000th game in major league history (since 1876) is played today, although the total excludes certain leagues usually considered of major league caliber such as the Federal League. Officially, today’s game between the Rockies and Astros at Minute Maid Park sets the historic milestone when it becomes official at 8:45 ET. The Rockies win, 4 – 2, in 13 innings.

In a pregame ceremony before a nationally televised game with Boston, the Yankees celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roger Maris’s record-breaking 61st home run. The festivities include New York captain Derek Jeter carrying to home plate the bat that the Rajah used to hit the Tracy Stallard pitch on October 1, 1961, and Sal Durante, the 19 year-old fan who caught the historic homer in the right field stands, bringing the ball onto the field.

With his strikeout of pinch-hitter Jose Lopez in the Brewers’ 6-4 win over Florida, John Axford earns his 45th save of the year to set the single season franchise park for saves. The Milwaukee closer surpasses Francisco Cordero, who established the mark with 44 in 2007.

Rafael Soriano sets a club record when he earns his 44th save of the season in the Rays’ 5-3 win over Seattle at Tropicana Field. The right-handed reliever, who will extend the mark to 45, had been tied with Roberto Hernandez, who saved 43 games for Tampa Bay in 1999.

2009 – Justin Verlander strikes out 11 in 7 innings as Detroit bests Cleveland, 6 – 5. It is the Indians’ 11th straight loss, one short of the franchise record set in 1931.

When his team beats Kansas City, 10-3, Red Sox skipper Terry Francona moves ahead of Mike Higgins with his 561st win piloting Boston, the second-most in franchise history. Joe Cronin, the club’s all-time leader, accumulated 1,071 wins during his 13-year tenure with the team from 1935 to 1947.

Thanks to Mark Teixeira’s eighth inning solo home run, the Mariners are defeated by the Angels, 6-5, making it the fourth time in franchise history the club has lost 100 games. Seattle has the distinction of being the first team with a $100 million payroll to lose 100 games.

2008 – The Pirates come to terms with Pedro Alvarez, whom they picked in the first round of this year’s amateur draft. Alvarez had previously given his verbal agreement to a deal but agent Scott Boras claimed it was after the deadline. Major League Baseball had placed Alvarez on the restricted list and the MLBPA filed a grievance, resulting in the case being sent to an arbitrator. Before a decision could be made, Pittsburgh and Alvarez again reached an agreement. The MLBPA therefore drops its appeal.